CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan vets group to step down later this spring
Iraq War veteran Allison Jaslow announced Thursday that she will step down from her role as CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America later this spring, prompting a search for the next leader of the veterans organization.
The group — founded in 2004 — has been a prominent and sometimes controversial voice in the veterans community over the last two decades, focused largely on issues impacting the youngest generation of American veterans.
Unlike most of the legacy veterans organizations, which have leadership changes annually, Jaslow is only the third CEO in the organization's history. She is the group's first female leader and its first openly gay chief executive.
Her departure comes after two years in the CEO role and more than nine years of work with the organization, including spearheading the organization's 'She Who Borne the Battle' campaign, which highlighted the contributions and needs of women veterans.
Jalsow said in recent years the organization has focused more on developing leadership training programs to elevate the voices of post-9/11 veterans and the challenges facing them.
'It's a very rewarding thing to be able to bring veterans to Washington, D.C., invest in them, to train them, and give them the tools not just to advocate for our priorities but also themselves,' she said. 'And those are tools that they take home to their communities where they can help other veterans advocate too.'
Jaslow served two combat tours in Iraq with the Army. She has also worked in multiple Capitol Hill posts and recently served as an adjunct professor at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy.
VA secretary insists massive staff cuts needed to refocus department
In testimony before Congress on March 4, she delivered a blistering rebuke of lawmakers from both parties, saying that partisan fighting has blocked sensible compromises that can benefit veterans and all Americans.
'If you really want to get the backs of Post-9/11 generation veterans, how about you stop asking us and our fellow Americans to keep soldiering on when none of us is satisfied with the leadership we have in this country right now?' she said. 'How about you follow my generation of veterans' lead and make sacrifices on behalf of our country that prove that you're worthy of the office that you hold?'
Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars era now make up about 30% of the nation's veteran population, the second-largest segment behind the Vietnam War era. But they also make up about half of all veterans in the civilian workforce, a percentage that is expected to grow in coming years.
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Senators prep for a weekend of work to meet Trump's deadline for passing his tax and spending cuts
WASHINGTON -- The Senate is expected to grind through a rare weekend session as Republicans race to pass President Donald Trump's package of tax breaks and spending cuts by his July Fourth deadline. Republicans are using their majorities in Congress to push aside Democratic opposition, but they have run into a series of political and policy setbacks. Not all GOP lawmakers are on board with proposals to reduce spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other programs as a way to help cover the cost of extending some $3.8 trillion in Trump tax breaks. The 940-page bill was released shortly before midnight Friday. Senators were expected to take a procedural vote Saturday to begin debate on the legislation, but the timing was uncertain and there is a long path ahead, with at least 10 hours of debate time and an all-night voting session on countless amendments. Senate passage could be days away, and the bill would need to return to the House for a final round of votes before it could reach the White House. 'It's evolving,' said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., as he prepared to close up the chamber late Friday. The weekend session could be a make-or-break moment for Trump's party, which has invested much of its political capital on his signature domestic policy plan. Trump is pushing Congress to wrap it up, even as he sometimes gives mixed signals, allowing for more time. At recent events at the White House, including Friday, Trump has admonished the 'grandstanders' among GOP holdouts to fall in line. 'We can get it done,' Trump said in a social media post. 'It will be a wonderful Celebration for our Country.' The legislation is an ambitious but complicated series of GOP priorities. 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With the narrow Republicans majorities in the House and Senate, leaders need almost every lawmaker on board to ensure passage. Johnson and Thune have stayed close to the White House, relying on Trump to pressure holdout lawmakers.
The Hill
34 minutes ago
- The Hill
Senators prep for a weekend of work to meet Trump's deadline for passing his tax and spending cuts
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected to grind through a rare weekend session as Republicans race to pass President Donald Trump's package of tax breaks and spending cuts by his July Fourth deadline. Republicans are using their majorities in Congress to push aside Democratic opposition, but they have run into a series of political and policy setbacks. Not all GOP lawmakers are on board with proposals to reduce spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other programs as a way to help cover the cost of extending some $3.8 trillion in Trump tax breaks. The 940-page bill was released shortly before midnight Friday. Senators were expected to take a procedural vote Saturday to begin debate on the legislation, but the timing was uncertain and there is a long path ahead, with at least 10 hours of debate time and an all-night voting session on countless amendments. Senate passage could be days away, and the bill would need to return to the House for a final round of votes before it could reach the White House. 'It's evolving,' said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., as he prepared to close up the chamber late Friday. The weekend session could be a make-or-break moment for Trump's party, which has invested much of its political capital on his signature domestic policy plan. Trump is pushing Congress to wrap it up, even as he sometimes gives mixed signals, allowing for more time. At recent events at the White House, including Friday, Trump has admonished the 'grandstanders' among GOP holdouts to fall in line. 'We can get it done,' Trump said in a social media post. 'It will be a wonderful Celebration for our Country.' The legislation is an ambitious but complicated series of GOP priorities. At its core, it would make permanent many of the tax breaks from Trump's first term that would otherwise expire by year's end if Congress fails to act, resulting in a potential tax increase on Americans. The bill would add new breaks, including no taxes on tips, and commit $350 billion to national security, including for Trump's mass deportation agenda. But the spending cuts that Republicans are relying on to offset the lost tax revenues are causing dissent within the GOP ranks. Some lawmakers say the cuts go too far, particularly for people receiving health care through Medicaid. Meanwhile, conservatives, worried about the nation's debt, are pushing for steeper cuts. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he is concerned about the fundamentals of the package and will not support the procedural motion to begin debate. 'I'm voting no on the motion to proceed,' he said. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., pushing for deeper cuts, said he needed to see the final legislative text. The release of that draft had been delayed as the Senate parliamentarian reviewed the bill to ensure it complied with the chamber's strict 'Byrd Rule,' named for the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, It largely bars policy matters from inclusion in budget bills unless a provision can get 60 votes to overcome objections. That would be a tall order in a Senate with a 53-47 GOP edge and Democrats unified against Trump's bill. Republicans suffered a series of setbacks after several proposals were determined to be out of compliance by the chief arbiter of the Senate's rules. One plan would have shifted some food stamp costs from the federal government to the states; a second would have gutted the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But over the past days, Republicans have quickly revised those proposals and reinstated them. The final text includes a proposal for cuts to a Medicaid provider tax that had run into parliamentary objections and opposition from several senators worried about the fate of rural hospitals. The new version extends the start date for those cuts and establishes a $25 billion fund to aid rural hospitals and providers. Most states impose the provider tax as a way to boost federal Medicaid reimbursements. Some Republicans argue that is a scam and should be abolished. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that under the House-passed version of the bill, some 10.9 million more people would go without health care and at least 3 million fewer would qualify for food aid. The CBO has not yet publicly assessed the Senate draft, which proposes steeper reductions. Top income-earners would see about a $12,000 tax cut under the House bill, while the poorest Americans would face a $1,600 tax increase, the CBO said. One unresolved issue remains the so-called SALT provision, a deduction for state and local taxes that has been a top priority of lawmakers from New York and other high-tax states. The cap is now $10,000. The White House and House Republicans had narrowed in on a plan for a $40,000 cap, but for five years instead of 10. Republican senators says that's too generous. At least one House GOP holdout, Rep. Nick LaLota of New York, said he cannot support the compromise. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Republicans are rushing to finish the bill before the public fully knows what's in it. 'There's no good reason for Republicans to chase a silly deadline,' Schumer said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who sent his colleagues home for the weekend with plans to be on call to return to Washington, said they are 'very close' to finishing up. 'We would still like to meet that July Fourth, self-imposed deadline,' said Johnson, R-La. With the narrow Republicans majorities in the House and Senate, leaders need almost every lawmaker on board to ensure passage. Johnson and Thune have stayed close to the White House, relying on Trump to pressure holdout lawmakers. ___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Approval Rating Falls To All-Time Low
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to an all-time low, according to Newsweek's latest poll tracker. The tracker shows that 43 percent of Americans currently approve of Trump's performance, while 53 percent disapprove—giving him a net approval rating of -10 points. That marks a three-point decline from the previous day, when his net approval stood at -7. It also matches his lowest net rating since April 29, when he last hit -10—which was, at the time, his lowest on record. Why It Matters Trump's poll numbers initially plunged after he announced his "Liberation Day" tariffs back in April. Although his approval ratings recovered somewhat soon after, his recent actions appear to have reignited public frustration with the White House. This includes his decision to deploy the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to suppress anti-ICE protests, as well as ordering air strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran last weekend—strikes that polls show most voters oppose. In response, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar on Monday. Since then, surveys have shown Trump's popularity has fallen to its lowest point on record. President Donald Trump listens during a briefing with the media, Friday, June 27, 2025, at the White House in Washington. President Donald Trump listens during a briefing with the media, Friday, June 27, 2025, at the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP What To Know Several polls show that Trump's approval rating has fallen to new lows for his second term. The latest YouGov/Economist poll, conducted between June 20-23 among 1,590 adults, shows Trump with a net approval rating of -14 points, with 40 percent approving and 54 percent disapproving—down slightly from -13 last week. The poll had a margin of error of ± 3.5 percent. Similarly, a new Bullfinch Group poll, conducted between June 17-20 among 1,223 adults, puts his net approval at -13 points, with 41 percent approval and 54 percent disapproval. That marks a sharp drop from -5 in May. The poll's margin of error was ± 3.1 percent. The latest Ipsos/Reuters, and American Research Group polls also show Trump's net approval rating at record lows for his second term. In the Ipsos/Reuters poll, conducted between June 21-23 among 1,139 registered voters, Trump's net approval rating stood at -16 points, with 41 percent approving and 57 percent disapproving. That is down from a previous low of -12 points in last week's poll. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. In the latest American Research Group poll, conducted June 17-20 among 1,100 adults, Trump's net approval rating hit -21 points, with 38 percent approving and 59 percent disapproving, down from a low of -14 points in the previous poll conducted in May. The latest Morning Consult poll, conducted between June 20-22 among 2,205 registered voters, did not show Trump's approval rating at an all-time low. But it did show a notable decline, with 45 percent approving and 53 percent disapproving, for a net approval rating of -8 points. That is down from -6 in the previous poll. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 points. Other polls have also shown a downward trend in Trump's approval rating in recent days. That includes the latest Quantus Insights poll, conducted between June 23-25 among 1,000 registered voters, which shows Trump's approval slipping slightly to 47 percent, down from 48 percent. His disapproval rating rose to 50 percent, up from 49 percent in the previous poll. Meanwhile, a Tyson Group poll, conducted between June 25-26 among 1,027 U.S. adults, showed Trump's net approval rating 6 points underwater, with 45 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving. It comes as polling has shown Trump deep underwater on almost every issue. The latest Quinnipiac poll showed that Trump was underwater on at least seven key issues. His lowest marks concerned his handling of deportations, where his net approval rating stood at -20, down from -16 in early June. That was followed closely by trade and the economy, both at -17. On immigration—an issue long central to his political brand—Trump hit a new low in his second term, with a net approval of -16, down from -11 earlier in the month. The survey also showed that 56 percent of voters disapproved of the way Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did its job, compared to 39 percent who approved. Nearly two-thirds of voters (64 percent), when given two choices, said they preferred giving most undocumented immigrants in the United States a pathway to legal status, while 31 percent said they preferred deporting most undocumented immigrants. He also received negative ratings on foreign policy (-14), military affairs (-4), and his handling of the Israel-Iran conflict (-14), highlighting broad concerns over his approach to international crises. The latest Emerson poll showed similar results. When asked whether Trump's economic policies are making the economy better or worse, 46 percent of respondents said his policies are making things worse, compared to just 28 percent who said they are making the economy better. Another 26 percent said they believe it's too soon to tell or that his actions have had no effect. The poll also found that nearly half of voters disapprove of Trump's overall handling of the U.S. economy. Forty-eight percent said they disapprove of the way he is managing economic issues, while only 37 percent approve. On immigration—historically one of Trump's signature issues—the public remains deeply divided. The survey shows that 48 percent approve of his approach to immigration policy and undocumented immigrants, while 40 percent disapprove. Just under 12 percent said they have no opinion. Foreign policy appears to be another area of concern for voters. On key international conflicts, Trump's ratings skew negative. Regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, 45 percent of respondents disapprove of his handling, while 41 percent approve. On the war between Israel and Hamas, 41 percent disapprove and 38 percent approve. Meanwhile, the Tyson Group poll showed more positive results for the president, who is 4 points above the water on immigration, with 48 percent approving and 44 percent disapproving. On foreign policy, voters were evenly split, with 45 percent approving and the same amount disapproving. But on the issue of inflation, Trump is still deep underwater by 16 points, with 37 percent approving and 53 percent disapproving. Poll Date Approve Disapprove The Tyson Group June 25-26 45 51 Emerson College June 24-25 45 46 Quantus Insights June 23-25 47 50 American Pulse June 23-25 50 49 Quinnipiac June 22-24 41 54 YouGov/Economist June 20-23 40 54 Ipsos/Reuters June 21-23 41 57 Morning Consult June20-22 45 53 Bullfinch Group June 17-20 41 54 American Research Group June 17-20 38 59 Still, a handful of polls recorded slight gains for Trump, though largely within the margin of error. Quinnipiac's latest poll, conducted between June 22-24 among 979 self-identified registered voters, shows Trump's approval rating at 41 percent, a 3-point increase from the previous survey earlier this month. His disapproval rating remains unchanged at 54 percent. The most recent RMG Research poll, conducted between June 11-19, put his approval rating up one at 53 percent, while his disapproval rating remained the same at 46 percent. And in the latest Trafalgar Group poll, conducted between June 18-20, 54 percent approved of Trump's job performance, while 45 percent disapproved, giving him a net approval of +9 points. That is up from +8 in last month's poll, when 54 percent approved and 46 percent disapproved. The latest Emerson College poll, conducted between June 24-25 showed Trump's approval rating largely unchanged from April, with 45 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving, giving him a net approval rating of -1.
